By Chris Kahn
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Americans who had cast their votes for the next president early on Tuesday appeared to be worried about the direction of the country, and were looking for a “strong leader who can take the country back from the rich and powerful,” according to an early reading from the Reuters/Ipsos national Election Day poll.
The poll of more than 10,000 people who have already cast their ballots in the presidential election showed a majority of voters are worried about their ability to get ahead and have little confidence in political parties or the media to improve their situation. A majority also feel that the economy is rigged to mostly help the wealthy.
The poll, which will be updated as additional responses are tallied and votes are counted throughout Tuesday, found:
– 75 percent agree that “America needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful.”
– 72 percent agree “the American economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful.”
– 68 percent agree that “traditional parties and politicians don’t care about people like me.”
– 76 percent believe “the mainstream media is more interested in making money than telling the truth.”
– 57 percent feel that “more and more, I don’t identify with what America has become.”
– 54 percent feel “it is increasingly hard for someone like me to get ahead in America.”
The Reuters/Ipsos online opinion poll was conducted on Election Day in English in all 50 states. It includes 10,604 Americans who have already cast their vote in the presidential election and has a credibility interval, a measure of accuracy, of 1 percentage point.
The poll also includes a variety of questions about the presidential race, which candidate people supported, and why. Those results will be published later in the evening, after most of the votes have been counted and state races have been called.
(Reporting by Chris Kahn; editing by Richard Valdmanis and Grant McCool)
